Four days before American Pharoah became the first racehorse in 37 years to win the Triple Crown, New York Racing Association Chairman Anthony Bonomo took leave from his post amid media reports his company secured a no-show job and benefits to state Sen. Dean Skelos’ son Adam.
Bonomo, of Manhasset, who runs the Roslyn-based Physicians’ Reciprocal Insurers, wrote Gov. Andrew Cuomo last Tuesday requesting leave from his post amid the firm’s involvement in the extortion case against the former state Senate majority leader.
“I do not want to have recent events distract from the ongoing work of NYRA,” Bonomo wrote, according to published reports. “I wish you and NYRA continued success.”
Michael DelGiudice, the racing association’s vice chairman, assumed Bonomo’s duties in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.
Physicians’ Reciprocal Insurers is not named in the indictment against the Skeloses, but various media reports have identified the firm as the malpractice insurer that allegedly supplied Adam Skelos with more than $100,000 in payments and benefits.
The Skeloses pleaded not guilty in United States District Court last Monday to various corruption-related charges, including extortion under color of official right, the solicitation of bribes and gratitudes and conspiracy to commit honest services fraud.
A spokesman for Physicians Reciprocal Insurers, the second largest medical malpractice firm in the state, said in an email to Newsday last week that “We are aware that the U.S. Attorney is investigating Dean Skelos and his son Adam. PRI is cooperating with the U.S. Attorney and has no further comment at this time.”
Bonomo, who was selected to run the NYRA in April, and his family are major political donors, having contributed to the campaigns of Cuomo, Skelos, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Physicians’ Reciprocal Insurers, the second largest malpractice firm in the state, has also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions and lobbying on behalf of malpractice-related issues, according to campaign filings and reports.
